Search This Blog

Association calls for adequate agriculture research funding in Nigeria

Prof. Victor Olowe, President of the
Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (AOAPN)
says proper and adequate agriculture research funding will improve
organic farming technique and knowledge of healthy farming.

Olowe made the call in an interview
with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

“Agriculture Research Council and
other related agencies of the country should include funding of
organic agriculture research in their activities.

“They should also establish Organic
Materials Review Institute of Nigeria to coordinate and support
organic integrity by developing clear information and guidance about
agriculture materials.

“This will help producers to know
which products are appropriate for organic operations just like the
Organic Materials Review Institute of USA,’’ he said.

He said that the Agriculture Research
Institute of Nigeria (ARCN) should partner with the AOAPN to identify
and address major research priorities.

“This will go a long way to make
organic agriculture more productive, profitable and sustainable.

“It will also support healthy and
productive food and agriculture systems as well as stepping up their
efforts to sensitise the society about the multiple benefits of
organic agriculture.

Olowe said the association was making
progress in providing leadership for the development of organic
farming practices in the country.

“We are showcasing the great
potential of organic farming, principles and practices in Nigeria by
addressing challenges such as the ban of some agricultural crops from
Nigeria to Europe.

“The development and implementation
of appropriate policies to support development of the organic
agriculture sub-sector of the Nigerian economy will promote healthy
farming.

He said that the Ministry of Education
should include training in organic agriculture and ecology in the
curricula of agricultural subjects at all levels.

“Even the primary and secondary
schools should be encouraged to establish Organic Agriculture Clubs
and as well encourage the use of locally produced organic food in
school feeding,’’Olowe said.

According to him, all these will go a
long way to fast-track the development of healthy farming in the
country.

He said that the association would meet
in Anambra in July for the next National Organic Agriculture Business
Summit, to further drive the development of organic agriculture
business in the country.

NAN reports that organic farming is a
technique, which involves cultivation of plants and rearing of
animals in natural ways.

This process involves the use of
biological materials, avoiding synthetic substances to maintain soil
fertility and ecological balance thereby minimizing pollution and
wastage.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, has appealed for funding to carry out research and create awareness on the tuta absoluta pest on tomatoes.
The Institute’s Head of Vegetable Programme, Dr Olagorite Adetula, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Friday that there was an urgent need to tackle the problem to save the economy.
Adetula said the institute needed money to do surveillance survey of the pest/damage, ascertain the impact of the damage and proffer solution for eradicating the pest.
She appealed to the Federal Government to help the institute get pheromones to lure and trap the pests and distribute to farmers.
``Spraying insecticides is not the best, the pest has high production rate, some of them can escape while spraying it and they will be resistant to the insecticide thereby causing us more cost.
``The pheromones can be used for six to eight weeks before changing it, it is very effective, the pest has short life cycle, within 40 days it is …

The Emir of Gwandu in Kebbi, Alhaji Muhammad Bashar, has called for sustained investment in agriculture to diversify the nation's economy.
The emir said this on Friday at a workshop organised by the Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero on the control of diseases affecting Cassava.
The workshop with the theme, “Symptoms identification and control of Cassava mosaic and brown streak disease," was jointly organised with Mikochemi Agriculture Resource Institute in Tanzania.
Bashar, who was represented by the Wazirin Gwandu, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar, said agriculture offers viable alternative to oil, which Nigeria heavily depends on.
The emir stressed that apart from ensuring food security, agriculture has huge potentials of significantly reducing unemployment and restiveness in the country.
He therefore said that all levels of government must create the needed atmosphere to encourage massive investment in the sector, for the rapid economic growth and development o…

The Fadama lll project in Plateau says arrangement has been concluded for farmers in the state to make available 5,975 metric tonnes of tomatoes for the rainy season.Coordinator of the project in the state, Mr Gideon Dandam, made this known to with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Sunday.According to him, the project through its Additional Funding (AF) had accessed N200 million from the World Bank for the production of the crop in the rainy season.Dandam said that the funds would be disbursed to the 1,000 selected farmers as grant in order to massively produce the crop so as to avert scarcity during wet season.He said over 239 hectares of land had been selected and made available in seven local government areas of the state for the production of the crop.``The World Bank through Fadama III AF has approved N200 million for us on Plateau for the production of tomato crop during this rainy season.``We have already identified 1,000 farmers that will be empowered with skills an…